 "Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, signs the July Charter during a ceremony at the National Parliament in Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 17, 2025. File Image/Bangladesh Chief Adviser’s Press Wing")
As Bangladesh gears up for its first national election since the dramatic ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, interim government head Muhammad Yunus has allayed fears that power might not be handed over after the vote.
Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist now serving as chief adviser of the interim administration, said there should be no doubt about the democratic transition. “We will hand over the responsibility to the newly elected government with deep pleasure and pride… and return to our own jobs. We ardently await that auspicious moment,” he said in a nationally broadcast address ahead of Thursday’s polls.
The general election, set for February 12, is seen as a defining moment for Bangladesh’s future, marking a fresh chapter in the country’s turbulent politics.
Yunus encouraged citizens to participate without fear, dismissing rumors suggesting the interim government might cling to power as “baseless propaganda” aimed at undermining the democratic process. “Some days come in the life of every nation that have far-reaching significance, when the future direction of a state, the character and stability of democracy and the fate of future generations are determined,” he said.
Calls for peaceful participation
Yunus also urged political parties to ensure their leaders and supporters refrain from intimidation, violence or attempts to disrupt voting.
“Any move to forcibly take over polling centres, disrupt voting or provoke unrest would not be tolerated,” he warned.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman , is currently viewed as the frontrunner in the election, with its longtime ally Jamaat-e-Islami as a significant rival. Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League—the party that dominated Bangladeshi politics for years—has been disbanded and barred from contesting, a move that has drawn criticism from some quarters.
To help safeguard the vote, authorities have deployed a record number of law enforcement personnel and armed forces with expanded powers. The interim leadership is pushing for a free, fair and peaceful election.